Our (Kinda) September 2026 Monthly Policy Update

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Our (Kinda) September Monthly Policy Update!

Hello friends!

It’s the Policy Team (Kelly, Sallie and Elena) here! As you may know, Helina Haile was our policy fellow this past year and her term with us has come to an end. (Say it ain’t so!) She curated the Monthly Policy Update (MPU) every month, as did the policy fellows before her. (Fun fact: this included Kelly and Sallie, many moons ago!) In the absence of a policy fellow, we are revamping the MPU and inviting you into the process… while also throwing in some sweet prizes!

Fill Out The MPU Survey HERE!

We’re asking ourselves some questions. What makes a newsletter worth opening? What keeps us reading and excited for the next one? What do we want the MPU to offer our members, base and peers? And how can this be a space that feels useful, grounding, and *razzle dazzle* even a little fun?

More importantly, we have questions for you! What do you want the MPU to become? What kinds of stories, resources, conversations and creative offerings would make you want to keep reading? We are eager for you to fill out the survey! We will listen closely and be intentional about using what we hear to shape what’s next for the MPU.

Here’s what you need to know:

Your survey response = one entry into a raffle to win a $50 gift card. There will be four winners!
The survey will close November 30, 2026 and the drawing for winners will be in December.
Winners will be announced on our socials (if they consent – consent is always cute)!
Follow us @pwn_usa to check if you’re one of our lucky winners!

Fill Out The MPU Survey HERE!

Welcome To Our Living Rooms!

In the meantime, we’re experimenting and that’s how you’ve ended up in our living rooms! If this is something that resonates well, we would love to keep inviting you to our living rooms each month through the MPU. The rest, we will figure out with your help!

For this month, we are teleporting to Long Island, NY to join Sallie in her living room! Policy changes are happening everyday and can feel daunting, especially with our violent political landscape. We hope that hanging with us in our living rooms is a welcome shift; an offering for grounding; and a small invitation to pause and connect with the policy team. So, welcome! We are so happy you’re here!

Tonight in the Living Room…

Hey friends, it’s me, Sallie. Welcome to my crib! So glad you could hang out with me on Long Island, NY.

Living Room Lightning Round

Shoes in the house?
- Shoes off at the door, always. Thank ya!
Big light?
- Ew, never. Well, only if I’m cleaning and it’s necessary lol.
Level of coziness
- The window is open and I’m burning Yemeni oud incense. I’m sitting cross-legged on the couch in a hoodie and beanie (my uniform, I know) and my dog, Goose, is cuddling next to me. We are both enjoying a fleece blanket! The fresh air is great but it is a little brisk out lately!
Where’s your phone?
- My phone is on the charger, on the coffee table.
What are you snacking on?
- I’ve been enjoying peanut butter and chocolate coated frozen bananas (mmmmm)! And Goose likes to snack on bell peppers and carrots (great for ASMR lovers lol).
Bev of the evening?
- Coconut water. Diet Coke if I’m feeling fancy.
Something that made you smile today
- I painted my bathroom over the weekend and every time I walk past I really feel a sense of accomplishment and joy. Change is good!
Living room red flag and green flag of the day
- Red flag: I have no idea where the TV remote is.
- Green flag: Cozy is not optional when you enter my living room. It just becomes who you are when you’re here.

Let’s get more into it!

What book/poem/essay/article is currently half finished on your coffee table?

Your girl loves a good novel. I’m currently about halfway through a LGBTQ+ Romance called Lush Lives by J. Vanessa Lyon and I picked it up because it was recommended by the Queer Liberation Library.

Where I am right now in the book, one of the main characters is an auctioneer who finds out the history behind an estate that she is selling. The family’s wealth was from producing an HIV treatment at the start of the HIV epidemic and they priced it so astronomically that many people could not afford it, leaving many marginalized folks to perish. Now the grandson of the estate plans to use the money from the sale to fund his political campaign. You can guess

what side of the line he is on… This book is making me think more deeply about what happens to our values when money has entered the chat. I don’t think that accepting money makes anyone complicit, because many of us are aware how complicated this really is. But, what are we giving up when we are making money, or accepting funds, from institutions and corporations whose practices caused or continue to cause our communities harm. Like, what is the cost of our values? Food for thought!

Since you’re here, I’d really like to talk about accountability! The book that I’m reading is shedding light on the ways that we hold ourselves and others accountable, especially around collective actions. When we decide to boycott brands and corporations who are causing us harm, we are impactful. But we must remain steadfast. And I’d like to talk more about how that translates to our work: the conferences we participate in, the funders we are indebted to, etc. I don’t think there’s a perfect answer, but it definitely is an interesting conversation around reparative justice and philanthropy. If you feel inclined to react to this, feel free to reply to this email! I’d love to hear your thoughts and reflections!

Alright! Y’all don’t gotta go home! You know the rest. Thanks for hanging with me!

Check back in next month for a hang sesh in Kelly’s Living Room <3. It’s October and Kelly will be sharing a voting policy update and her snack of choice (and I’d bet on it) is probably cheese. I’m excited to see y’all there! Oh, and don’t forget to take the survey!

Love ya, mean it!

Fill Out The MPU Survey HERE!

Our (Kinda) September Monthly Policy Update!